AROUND | Meaning, Definition In Cambridge English Dictionary

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Meaning of around in English aroundpreposition, adverb uk /əˈraʊnd/ us /əˈraʊnd/ (UK also round)

around preposition, adverb (SURROUNDING OR TURNING)

Add to word list Add to word list A2 in a position or direction surrounding, or in a direction going along the edge of or from one part to another (of): We sat around the table. He put his arm around her. A crowd had gathered around the scene of the accident. She had a scarf around her neck. The moon goes around the earth. I walked around the side of the building. The children were dancing around the room. I spent a year travelling around Africa and Asia. The museum's collection includes works of art from all around the world. She passed a plate of biscuits around (= from one person to another). This virus has been going around (= from one person to another). in order to face in the opposite direction: As the bus left, she turned around and waved goodbye to us. I spun around to see who was behind me.
  • The snake coiled itself tightly around the deer.
  • People clustered around the noticeboard to read the exam results.
  • She drew her coat tightly around her shoulders.
  • She flung her arms around his neck.
  • The cathedral dominates the landscape for miles around.
  • He turned his chair around to face the screen.
General location and orientation
  • -oriented
  • about
  • along
  • anterior
  • back onto something phrasal verb
  • direction
  • fix
  • forward
  • noncentral
  • on the left
  • on-site
  • orientated
  • position
  • round
  • side-on
  • spot
  • take a left
  • to the left of something/someone
  • turn left
  • unopposed
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Revolving, rotating and spinning

around preposition, adverb (IN THIS PLACE)

A2 positioned or moving in or near a place, often without a clear direction, purpose, or order: He always leaves his clothes lying around (on the floor). She went into town and spent two hours just walking around. Let's take the children to the park so they can run around for a while. in the place where you are; near where you are: I used to live around here. She's never around when you need her. Will you be around next week? She likes to sing loudly to herself when there's no one around. existing or available in a place: There's a lot of flu going around my office at the moment. Smartphones have been around for quite a while.
  • While she waited, she walked aimlessly around the car park.
  • A wasp came towards us and Howard started waving his arms around.
  • She gathered up the newspapers that were scattered around the floor.
  • If your sister's around, bring her too.
  • Don't walk around outside in your bare feet.
General location and orientation
  • -oriented
  • about
  • along
  • anterior
  • back onto something phrasal verb
  • direction
  • fix
  • forward
  • noncentral
  • on the left
  • on-site
  • orientated
  • position
  • round
  • side-on
  • spot
  • take a left
  • to the left of something/someone
  • turn left
  • unopposed
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Closeness in distance and time Acting, being or existing together

around preposition, adverb (RELATING TO)

relating to something: The conference was dominated by issues around national security. The goal is to create some serious discussion around a very serious problem.
  • Issues around race, ethnicity and empire have developed as an important strand of thinking about history.
  • This blog features some of my thoughts around food and the city's restaurant scene.
  • There seems to be a moral panic around swearing and so-called bad language.
  • The manager said he was confident that the strong feelings around the incident would soon die down.
Regarding and concerning
  • about
  • apply to someone/something
  • apropos
  • apropos of something
  • as to idiom
  • connection
  • cover
  • deal with someone phrasal verb
  • department
  • hereof
  • in respect of something idiom
  • in the brain, looks, etc. department idiom
  • into
  • range
  • say
  • something
  • thereof
  • towards
  • vis-à-vis
  • wise
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Linking and relating

Grammar

Around or round?Around and round are prepositions or adverbs. We use around and round when we refer to movements in circles or from one place to another. Around and round can both be used. Around is more common in American English. Round is a little more common in speaking: …

Idioms

around and around the right/wrong/other way around the other way around aroundadverb uk /əˈraʊnd/ us /əˈraʊnd/

around adverb (APPROXIMATELY)

A2 approximately: around six feet tall around two months ago around four o'clock She earns around $40,000 a year. Synonyms about (APPROXIMATELY) approximately approximately
  • approximatelyHe makes approximately $60,000 a year.
  • aboutThe job will take about three months.
  • aroundI will be there around four o'clock.
  • roughlyThere were roughly 200 people at the meeting.
  • or soThey raised £200 or so for charity.
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  • The first election results are expected around 1 a.m.
  • The temperature is usually around 20 degrees C at this time of year.
  • This dish only takes around 15 minutes to prepare.
  • He said that he had seen the man leaving the building around the time of the murder.
  • Tickets for such events will typically cost around 30 dollars.
Approximate
  • about
  • approx.
  • approximate
  • approximately
  • at a guess idiom
  • exact
  • guess
  • inexact
  • inexactly
  • ish
  • loose
  • loosely
  • loosey-goosey
  • rough
  • rule
  • rule of thumb idiom
  • sketchily
  • sketchy
  • some
  • something
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Grammar

Approximations (around four o’clock)When we speak, we often try not to be too exact or factual because it can sound very direct. As a result, we add expressions to make what we say more approximate or vague. … Around or round?Around and round are prepositions or adverbs. We use around and round when we refer to movements in circles or from one place to another. Around and round can both be used. Around is more common in American English. Round is a little more common in speaking: … (Definition of around from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

around | American Dictionary

aroundpreposition, adverb [ not gradable ] us /əˈrɑʊnd/

around preposition, adverb [not gradable] (IN THIS DIRECTION)

Add to word list Add to word list in a position or direction surrounding, along the outside of, or from one part of to another: We sat around the table. Go around to the back of the house and come in through the kitchen. We drove around town for a while, looking for a place to park. She turned around (= so that she was facing in the opposite direction) and waved goodbye. fig. He built his story around the theme of spiritual loneliness.

around preposition, adverb [not gradable] (TO ALL PARTS)

in or to many parts of or all directions: Car phones are common all around the country. People came from miles around.

Idioms

around and around around the clock (right/just) around the corner aroundadjective, adverb us /əˈrɑʊnd/

around adjective, adverb (HERE/NEAR)

positioned or moving in or near a place: I used to live around here. Will you guys be around next week? aroundadverb us /əˈrɑʊnd/

around adverb (APPROXIMATELY)

about; approximately: Around 40 people showed up. He arrived in Kansas City around 1984. (Definition of around from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) What is the pronunciation of around?

Translations of around

in Chinese (Traditional) 在這個方向, 四處，周圍, 圍繞，（環）繞… See more in Chinese (Simplified) 在这个方向, 四处，周围, 围绕，（环）绕… See more in Spanish alrededor de, al/hacia otro lado, por… See more in Portuguese ao redor (de), em volta (de), em torno de… See more in Marathi in Japanese in Turkish in French in Catalan in Dutch in Tamil in Hindi in Gujarati in Danish in Swedish in Malay in German in Norwegian in Urdu in Ukrainian in Telugu in Bengali in Czech in Indonesian in Thai in Vietnamese in Polish in Korean in Italian भोवती, इकडेतिकडे, इतस्ततः… See more ～の周りに（で、を）, くるくると, ぐるぐると… See more çevresinde, çevresine, ters yönde… See more autour de, dans les parages, environ… See more al voltant de, en cercle, per… See more rond, rondom, om… See more சுற்றியுள்ள ஒரு நிலையில் அல்லது திசையில், அல்லது ஒரு திசையின் விளிம்பில் அல்லது ஒரு பகுதியிலிருந்து மற்றொரு பகுதிக்கு செல்லும், ஒரு இடத்தில் அல்லது அதற்கு அருகில் நிலைநிறுத்தப்பட்ட அல்லது நகரும்… See more (किसी अवस्था, दिशा, छोर के साथ-साथ) चारों ओर या… See more ચોતરફ, બધી બાજુ, ફરતે.… See more rundt om, rundt i, rundt omkring… See more runt [omkring], överallt, här och där… See more keliling, sana sini, hampir… See more um…herum, herum, in der Nähe… See more rundt, tilstede, tilgjengelig… See more گرد, اردگرد, چاروں طرف… See more навкруги, всюди, скрізь… See more ఒక దాని స్థానం లేక దిశ చుట్టూ, లేక ఒక దాని అంచు వెంట, లేక ఒక దాని ఒక భాగం నుండి మరొక భాగం వరకు… See more কোনোকিছু ঘিরে, আশেপাশের একটি অবস্থানে বা দিকে, বা একটি দিক দিয়ে প্রান্ত বরাবর বা এক অংশ থেকে অন্য অংশে বোঝাতে ব্যবহৃত হয়… See more kolem, sem a tam, přibližně… See more di sekitar, sekeliling, di sana-sini… See more รอบ ๆ, โดยรอบ, ราว ๆ… See more khắp xung quanh, loanh quanh, gần… See more dookoła, wokół, w drugą stronę… See more 주변에, 굴러서, 여기 저기… See more intorno (a), in giro (per), circa… See more Need a translator?

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aromatic hydrocarbon BETA aromaticity BETA aronia arose around around and around idiom around Robin Hood's barn idiom around the bend idiom around the block phrase {{#randomImageQuizHook.filename}} {{#randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes Try a quiz now {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{^randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.filename}}

More meanings of around

  • about
  • all around
  • all-around
  • all-round
  • dash around
  • end-around
  • end-around adjective, at end-around
See all meanings
  • ask around phrasal verb
  • boss around someone phrasal verb
  • bring someone around phrasal verb
  • build something around something phrasal verb
  • cast about phrasal verb
  • center on something phrasal verb
  • come around phrasal verb
See all phrasal verb meanings
  • around and around idiom
  • around the clock idiom
  • (right/just) around the corner idiom
See all idioms and phrases

Word of the Day

shrinking violet

UK /ˌʃrɪŋ.kɪŋ ˈvaɪə.lət/ US /ˌʃrɪŋ.kɪŋ ˈvaɪə.lət/

a person who is very shy or modest and does not like to attract attention

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  • English   
    • Preposition, adverb 
      • around (SURROUNDING OR TURNING)
      • around (IN THIS PLACE)
      • around (RELATING TO)
    • Adverb 
      • around (APPROXIMATELY)
  • American   
    • Preposition, adverb 
      • around (IN THIS DIRECTION)
      • around (TO ALL PARTS)
    • Adjective, adverb 
      • around (HERE/NEAR)
    • Adverb 
      • around (APPROXIMATELY)
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